Austin's genuine rise to superstardom began on June 23, 1996 in Milwaukee, when he won the King of the Ring tournament, receiving the push originally intended for Hunter Hearst Helmsley. After toppling Marc Mero in the semi-finals, Austin defeated Jake "The Snake" Roberts in the final. After the match, Austin cut a promo during his coronation which viciously mocked Jake's reformed lifestyle, telling Roberts:

“

You sit there and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere! Talk about your Psalms, talk about John 3:16... Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!

”

Austin 3:16 ultimately became one of the most popular catchphrases in wrestling history and is often regarded as marking the beginning of the Attitude Era. Austin would later turn face, as spontaneous fan support for him grew larger by the week. His attitude and his modus operandi- using heel tactics in a face role - would come to define the tweener role in professional wrestling.